Spliced
by keloid123
Summary: Gomen! Ch. 5 reposted & rewritten. After book 3 (the anime). Rociel had rescued Katan, but in the process created new wounds in the Cherubim's soul. The hunter, hunted, and the ones who are drawn into the conflict.
1. Default Chapter

S p l i c e d

A slim and elegant figure clothed in the finest silks of heaven sat on his heels before a wooden coffin. It almost looked like he knelt. But no, Rociel did not kneel. Rociel never kneeled to another, because people kneeled to _him_.

The room was dark, but the atmosphere was not oppressing to Rociel in the least. He felt comfortable in the darkness; it welcomed him with open arms. The man that sat before the coffin was an angel, with flowing locks of silky hair and a pretty face. An angel admired by many, and just as feared. He was known throughout heaven as Rociel, the Inorganic Angel. In the absence of Adam Kadamon and God, he wielded the power of Atziluth. 

Rociel's face was set in a solemn expression. The usual light in his eyes had gone dimmer, as if a certain vitality had diminished. 

_Katan.. My dear Katan why will you not awaken from your stubborn slumber? Instead, you hide from me in that coffin of yours. You hide and refuse to speak to me, to be with me. Ever since I rescued you from that burning hell, you lay in the confinement of that box as if you were truly dead. _

Rociel shook his head, ignoring the voices that suddenly came unbidden into his mind. Accusing little voices that wouldn't leave him, annoying and irritating. They accused him of forcing the pill down Katan's unwilling throat. But, but how painful it had been to watch Katan. Half of his body had been blown away, burned and charred. The perfect skin had been marred, and those eyes only looked on him bleakly with agony. Rociel had watched, as his life bled away, and his spirit beginning to fade. No, Rociel could not have that. Rociel knew one way to save Katan, to save him from the nothingness that came after death. He bestowed upon Katan the priceless gift that would keep him by Rociel's side forever. The gift of life. But poor Katan, poor hallucinating Katan could not think clearly in his pain and rejected the gift. His protests against becoming a mindless servant had shocked and boiled Rociel's blood. Rociel had offered Katan life, and he only wished for death. But of course what Katan really wanted to do was to follow Rociel, to serve him until the end of the universe. This was truth. Katan would never leave his side. He would doubt, and disapprove, but he would stay. Always. 

Yet what was this nagging feeling, some pull of guilt that Rociel felt? As Katan's ravaged body had been engulfed into the wires that were Rociel's element, his face had been twisted into an expression that looked like.. Pity. No, that could not have been it. What was there to pity about Rociel? He had wealth, power, and beauty while Katan was the one that was suffering and dying. It was for himself that Katan should have saved such a pathetic emotion for.

Rociel reached out, and with fingers outstretched he placed a hand on the coffin's lid. It was a dark burgundy wood, smooth surface with a single metallic cross nailed at the very top. He traced the shape of the cross, wondering if Katan could somehow feel the warmth of his hand, the touch that bid him to come out, to acknowledge him. Again no sound came from the coffin. Rociel was not used to being denied of things he wanted. 

"Come out Katan," he said a little more insistently. "Show me that you are by my side as you have always been. Do not dwell any longer in that crude prison." When no answer came, Rociel began to grow a little impatient. He hated waiting, and hated beings who made him wait even more. He reached over and flipped open the lid. 

In the coffin lay Katan's half-formed body, merged with a countless number of wires. He was still rejecting Rociel, refusing to let his conciousness go. At this stage he should have been healed and ready to do Rociel's bidding. His body was so thin he looked small and helpless. The wires were the only things about Katan that seemed alive and moving. They danced about him, a painful dance that was writhing yet never ending. It was exactly the same as it had been when Rociel looked upon him a few nights ago. Katan had even attacked him, hostility obvious in his movements. Would Katan attack now? But nothing happened. Katan's eyes were open, staring off into a distance that Rociel could not see. 

Reaching in, Rociel stroked the tender skin of a newly formed cheek. Katan's eyes did not turn to him.

"Stop your futile battle Katan," he chided, his voice sweetened like honey. "I know how you love life. Let me guide you to it, I can help you..."

Once again, Katan did not respond to his voice or movements. Rociel felt as though he was being purposely being ignored. He hated being ignored, why was Katan ignoring him? A trace of anger started to worm itself onto Rociel's face, twisting the smile into a frown. 

_From jest to sorrow to ashes.._

"Fine," Rociel snapped. "I was mistaken. You aren't any different from the puppets in heaven." He slammed the coffin shut, then turned away from it, as if suddenly disgusted by the sight of it. 

He spoke again, this time his voice was unusually quiet. "I have no need for disobedient servants.. And even less for ones that are dead." Rociel parted from the room; he couldn't stand the sight of Katan's lifeless form any longer.

Rociel did not see the silent moving of parched and broken lips that moved slowly to form his name. 

"Rociel..sama.."

***

Katan had not been aware of it for a very long time, the fact that he still breathed. He was still among the living, he was not dead yet. Quite a surprise, but Rociel's magic was very strong. Slowly, Katan forced his eyelids to open. Considering his present location, there was not much to see. However, he liked the small comfort that sight brought him, to be able to determine himself if he really was still here. Sometimes his breaths were little more than sharp painful intakes of air. He could feel the lingering power of Rociel's magic deep within his body, working over the damaged cells to make his body whole. At the same time, another force similar to it was forcing itself into Katan's mind like a parasite. His mind and body had been wrestling against these forces ever since the pill had entered him. He did not want to become a mindless slave, bound to Rociel for all eternity. For that was surely what he would become, like all the rest before him that had taken Rociel's pill. He was doomed to slavery.

_Ah, that's right. Katan, I want to ask you a question. Am I.. Beautiful? Like the time that I reigned in _Atziluth_… Am I just as beautiful as back then?_

_  
Yes.. You have not changed at all, Rociel-sama. _

Katan had been wrong. Rociel had changed, and changed a great deal. His heart had grown twisted, more easily obsessed over things. The Inorganic Angel never hesitated to take another's life if it meant his desires could be fulfilled. This was not how Katan had remembered Rociel, the caring beautiful angel that had given him life. The one that had transformed him from a lowly life form of a grigori into a true angel. It seemed almost as if.. As if Rociel was slowly going insane. _Nonsense_, Katan thought. _Rociel-sama's light will never diminish._

Whenever Katan praised Rociel, he had looked at him with such happy eyes, happiness clearly underlined with sadness and a tinge of uncertainty. Katan couldn't find himself to cross that threshold to break away from Rociel. Even if it had meant his own death, he had sworn to follow Rociel forever. Even if it meant he would have to dirty his hands in human blood. Katan had walked a path that wrought about a fate worse than death. He could not win over Rociel's magic, but he was not prepared to yield. He was not ready to willingly lose himself, to give everything to Rociel so that he could do as he wished. No, it was not supposed to be like this. They were supposed to be happy, everyone was supposed to be happy… Was that not how heaven was supposed to be like? 

_You are a naïve one, you know that don't you? Always wanting to assume the best in others._

_It seems I paid the price in full…_

It did not take long before Rociel had come to visit him after his coffin had been moved that darken room. The first time, Katan was in a rage and had attacked Rociel. His emotions were still too raw, the pain of betrayal. He wasn't sure what he would have done if he had succeeded. Now.. Katan was at a loss. He did not know how to respond, what to do. Reject him? Give into him? Forgive him? And so, he did nothing. He lay a blank stare upon his face, and set his eyes into the unseeing distance. Rociel prodded him. Cursed him. Painful accusations cut through him, leaving bitter thoughts. Still, he did nothing. Because there was nothing to do. At first Rociel had coaxed him with little touches and comforting words, but his voice had quickly turned sour. Finally, Rociel turned away from him, but not before giving him a freezing stare that Katan could feel penetrate his very bones. This time there were no words to assure Katan that everything was right, that Rociel had everything under control. There was only coldness, a empty hole in Katan's chest that went beyond physical pain. 

_I don't need him. I don't need his smile. Death would welcome me into its grip sooner than he._

_But he saved you. He raised you, and you yourself swore an oath that you would always be by his side. _

_He doesn't need me. His brilliance shines for all of heaven, everyone falls to their knees before him. _

_You forsake him and yet you praise him._

_He was the one who forsaked me! Forsaked my trust with the exchange of that damned pill. _

_It was for him that you spilled human blood, it was for him that you worked so hard. It is for him that you will continue to walk your path._

_What are you feeling now? Sadness, because you are not by him. Sadness, because he is hurt by you. Anger, because of your uncertainty._

_What do you want to do?_

_ I do not know.._

_  
Sheer helplessness._

_I want to .. Be happy._

_I want to .. Live. Being with him.._

_Can one love and hate at the same time?_

_Rociel-sama.._

***

Rociel was in a foul mood. Everything was going smoothly. As a result, he was rather bored. Rociel liked chaos over order, it made life much more interesting. He hated being bored above everything. Boredom, even the very syllables sounded bland in his mind. Though he was treated with great respect, everyone went out of his or her way to avoid him. Which was fine with him really, he did not want the company of that mindless bunch. The pathetic beings that only lived to please. And Sevotharte was no fun to talk to at all; he always kept a cautious guard around Rociel. _And with good reason_, Rociel thought. _But as long as he keeps up, this game still holds some amusement for me. _

As he sat in his velvet-lined chair, his thoughts began to wander. Alexiel's latest reincarnation, that Setsuna boy was somewhere in Hades. Searching for his lost love. _How perfectly foolish and stupid_, Rociel thought. The Messiah was wasting his time with that girl. He couldn't understand the logic thought behind it. What could have possessed the Messiah to plunge into the depths of Hades just to find a lost soul? He didn't understand the concept of dying for a loved one, and dying for them in return. It seemed like such a waste. Had anyone ever died for him, shed tears for him? Rociel's thoughts came slowly to a stop, well aware of the answer to that question. 

***

Rociel was going visiting to Katan again. He felt some sort of pull, day by day that attracted him to that room in the far reaches of the palace. It was a subtle tugging of the heart, something he couldn't define or quite put a finger on. At the same time it felt like an irritating itch that would not be sated until he satisfied it. It couldn't be just the fact that he felt sorry for that foolish angel. Katan used to be so good and obedient but after freeing him from the Earth, Rociel constantly felt an air of disapproval from the younger angel at whatever he did. That was something Rociel did not need, he commanded absolute submission from his subjects. So why was here now? Why was he walking towards that room, an unseen force pushing and pulling at him? The apprehension he felt at the upcoming encounter, the mix of pain and happiness when he thought of Katan. It felt like.. Startled, Rociel stopped in the middle of a hallway. No.. It couldn't be that. There was no way in Sheol it could be that. 

_You need him._

His eyes widened, surprise registering in his brain. The simple statement, bold but true. He had never intended for Katan to become so close to him, never intended to become friends and…

Katan was a weakness. With his obsession to awaken onee-san Alexiel, Rociel had not taken notice at all how close they had become. It was surprising that Sevotharte had not exploited this weak point of Rociel's yet. It could be he only knew Katan as the loyal Cherubim whom had freed Rociel from the prison of Earth. After all, all the other subjects of his held very little value, much less an attachment from him.

_Katan, what are you doing to me?_

_Embracing me, turning me away._

_Obedient Katan, rebellious little Katan._

Tendrils of energy began to manifest itself, hovering just above Rociel's right palm. Why hadn't he done this earlier, how could he have not foreseen this.

_Dear Katan, always so dependable._

_Dear Katan, forcing me down the edge._

_Dear Katan, driving me insane._

"That's right.. The solution is so simple."

His eyes glinted with the light of madness, and he broke into a wide smile. He was going to save Katan. He was going to save Katan at last, and save himself. Save his sanity. 

_Hate me.._

_Love me.._

_Hate you.._

_Love you.._

_Kill you.._

_Kimi no kokoro ga itain darou? Doshite? Oshiete… [Your heart is hurting, isn't it? Why? Tell me…]_

_Notes: _

_My very first Angel Sanctuary fan fic.. ^^ I hope it was alright.. Thanks for reading. _


	2. Knife of Romance

S p l i c e d

_Chapter II [Knife of Romance]_

_Kizu.. Boku no kizu.. Kimi wa miteru? Hen desu ne.. *Doku doku.*_

_***_

Rociel was ill prepared for the sight that awaited him when he swung open the wooden door. The energy hovering above his hand cast the room into an eerie glow. In the centre of the room, Heaven's most noble and loyal Cherubim Katan was lying motionlessly on the floor. Red liquid pooled beneath him; his face and arms bore long bloody scratches. Katan was perspiring heavily, his skin and hair slick with sweat and his own blood. His mouth was slightly open; the muscles in the jaw had gone slack. A sudden cough wracked his body; more blood joined the puddles that littered the floor. The pale complexion, the crumpled form gave rise to Rociel's mind the image of a fallen angel. A delicate and fragile angel. So easy to meld, so easy to break. The words Rociel had wanted to utter died before they reached his tongue. He clenched a fist; the energy winked out and the room dimmed, once again only illuminated by poor light that wafted in from beyond the doorway. In the corner of his eye he saw that the coffin lay in pieces at the very back of the room. _More active now, are you?_ Carefully, he moved Katan so that he was resting on his back. _Hurting yourself instead of others.. Really now, that's just like you._

"Why?" he asked softly. "Why do you torture yourself?"

Katan's eyelids fluttered open. When Rociel finally came into focus, he began to smile. As weak as he was, there was nothing lacking in the emotion behind those penetrating eyes. There were no accusations; no anger or resentment was present in that look. There was only… 

"Rociel-sama", Katan said, his voice was hoarse and low. "Shh," Rociel hushed him. He bent down to stroke his forehead, brushing away a few stray strands of hair. Katan's blood and sweat mingled on his fingers but he did not seem to take notice or care. _Katan, dear Katan.. What is it that you want? _

Neither of them spoke, and silence settled down on the two. It was not a separating silence. Rather, it bound the two angels together; it draped over them like a cozy blanket. Katan found that the tight knots in his muscles began to uncurl and relax. For Rociel at that moment, there was no war of heaven versus hell, angel versus demon or angel versus angel. The only challenge was in the form of the angel that lay before him. He ran his hands through Katan's hair; even in the darkened room it still looked so beautiful._ Of course you are beautiful, I always knew you would be._

"You have changed." Katan broke the silence and the moment of peace passed. Rociel's hand stilled its stroking and fell to his side. "I knew that I would follow Rociel-sama with or without the pill, but I do not want my mind to be tampered with. You do not know what it is like, to have someone else's desires invade the mind in a constant stream. I am myself; I was and am willing to die if that meant freedom. This.. This was a test.. I had to answer for myself, how far am I willing to go? How much am I willing to lose and change to be with you?" 

Katan did not speak of it, but they both knew what had initially caused the invisible rift to form between them. The incident concerning Kirie, the angel that Rociel had let die at the hands of the Messiah. He had thought the Cherubim would have been more logical about the whole matter. His plan had called for the inevitable demise of one life, why couldn't Katan be happy that it Rociel had chosen Kirie instead of him? She would have never made it far ahead in the game anyway; she had lacked essential common sense and experience. Katan had rushed headlong into battle in a futile attempt to rescue the pathetic thing. His current state was the result of that reckless action. 

Rociel brought his face close to Katan, so close that Katan could feel his warm breath tingle on his cheek. "And what have you discovered, my dearest Katan?" Rociel whispered into an ear. He began to ruffle the other man's hair in a show of proposed affection, long graceful fingers dipping into the smooth strands. 

Katan shut his eyes, and slowly took in a deep breath. There was definitely hesitation, but when he spoke his voice was hard and steady. "You are poison, Rociel-sama. You are a deadly poison that slowly kills everything you touch. You cause decay; you cause ugly destruction." To Rociel, there was nothing more horrible that could have been said, surprise clearly showing on his face. He recoiled, his soul seemed to wrench in its place. _Ugly.. Ugly? Am I Ugly?_ It hurt him to hear these words coming from the mouth of his Cherubim. Cruel, merciless words. They didn't suit him.

Other voices had suddenly joined in with Katan's, ghostly echoes of the Cherubim's. They came from nowhere and everywhere, invading his thoughts. Disembodied voices of dead spirits, they had come all the way from Hades to condemn him at this moment. Hissing and growling, they were a cacophony of voices.

_Heartless beast!_

_Ugly vain wretch._

_Your leadership has only lead your followers to ruin, as they blindly leap into the chasm.._

_Murderer, murderer.. Killing, killing. All you do is.. Kill. Kll, kill.. Always.. Killing. Always.. Always.. _

_Dead things should stay dead! _Rociel's lips were moving, but no sound came forth.

"You are like a crow, wherever you walk death follows closely behind. Don't you ever look behind you, at your dark shadow? Only, it isn't really your shadow is it? It is your dark hateful heart. Selfishness, greed, and self-conceited; how many times have you sinned? The title of Angel, is that nothing more than a joke?" It was like a twist of the knife in Rociel's gut. It stung him, piercing through his flesh. His dear, dear Katan was holding the knife and the spirits were helping to drive it into him. He felt pain, torrents of pain. But there was no knife; there was no physical attack. Why then, were his senses drowning in agony? How could Katan make him feel this way? Then the screams started. Horrible cries and wails ripped into his ears, hurling more hateful words at him. How ghastly they sounded, inhuman and vile. He covered his ears with his hands, shaking his head in denial and desperation. _ Go away! Just go away!_ But they came again and again increasing in volume.

Katan continued on, seemingly oblivious to the effect of his words. "Do you know what everyone in Atziluth says behind your back? Do you know what they say? You must know, you see everything. You just choose not to hear it. Well, I will repeat the words for you now."

"Rociel-sama… You are a **monster**."

A long silence followed, and inwardly Katan gave a long shuddering sigh. He hadn't wanted to say all that. He didn't, he truly didn't. When he pondered upon the words he knew that they were true, but they were truths that he abhorred. He had always kept them in a dark closet, but it was necessary to draw them out now. Only in the open could he combat the truth along with the lies, to save his Rociel-sama. Both painful truth and lies fester over time, it was best to take care of them quickly. He was mildly surprised that there had been no immediate repercussion from Rociel. He had expected something violent. 

_Please let him be alright. God, please.._

Finally, he gained enough courage to open his eyes once more. If he was to be killed for his stupidity, then so be it. He should have been dead already. But when he looked up, all he saw was darkness. Turning his head, an empty space greeted him where Rociel should have been.

***

  
Notes: 

Poor Rociel, ne? ^^; Thank you very much for reading, feedback always welcome. XD   
  



	3. Filth - The meeting of...

S p l i c e d _  
Chapter III [Filth ~ The Meeting Of…]_

Katan was running away. Walking briskly down the steps of the palace, he did not look back nor unveil his hooded features. Katan felt a yearning to look upon the towering palace one more time, the smooth marble surfaces and beautiful structures. A magnificent work that truly belonged in heaven, and the only place he had ever called a home. It held his most treasured memories, a precious childhood with.. Him. But he couldn't allow himself to turn. Just one glimpse would make him break and lose all of his resolve.

Katan flexed his right hand. Or rather, tried to. It was the only reminder of his inner conflict, the telltale sign that wouldn't go away. His right hand was the one part of him that still remained a mass of twisting wires, meshing themselves into the surrounding flesh. Katan wore a loose black glove over it, he didn't want to look upon the thing that he was.

He had not gone to seek the Inorganic Angel after his disappearance. _Rociel-sama does not need me as I do him. In his perfection he does not need this irksome child. I must do what is right, not what my foolish heart desires. I have already done too much wrong to you. I would rather die, but.. There is something still holding me here. Rociel-sama; take care. I can no longer do anything for you.  
  
  
_

***  
  
  


A room surrounded end to end by art. That was the only word for it, the mural that extended all around the room from the top of the walls to the very bottom. The diversity of the work was something to marvel at too. Beginning on the left side was a tale of creation, the world created by God. The blue soothing rivers, the lush green forests, and the very first human beings, a man and a woman. That portion of the wall was painted in light pastel colours, emitting an aura of peace. However, the scene soon gave way to something darker. The pastel colours faded quickly into dark lines that streaked across the walls. The colours were heavy and dark, a sea of faces emerging from the black waters. They were neither human nor demon, but something in between. Gaping mouths and wrinkled lips cried out in what was either anger or pain. This was the final great work of the artist, as she had met with sudden retirement shortly after. It was one of the rooms that Sevotharte had hardly touched when Rociel was still sealed in the Earth. Of course, Sevotharte must have entered the place at least once. He was a very thorough man. But it was doubtful he came more than that, as there was no useful information trapped inside the empty room and the painting would remind Sevotharte all too much of Rociel.

. 

It was within that room Rociel was brooding, long hair cascading down his back and hands folded neatly on his lap. His pressed lips and dark expression gave off a dangerous aura, indicating his bad mood. And so the servant waiting for him did not to disturb his meditation. He had been standing there for half an hour now, but he did not mind. To look upon Rociel was a privilege in itself; time easily slowed into something that was meaningless when it was the Inorganic Angel that one beheld. 

"What is it?" Rociel asked, finally acknowledging his presence.

The servant bowed respectfully. "As you requested to be notified of, Cherubim Katan has left Atziluth, Rociel-sama."

"I know," he said sharply, suddenly irritated. The atmosphere around Rociel seemed to bristle suddenly, like an agitated cat. A very dangerous cat.

To his credit the servant did not question Rociel's mood. No one ever did.. Almost no one. He lowered his head further in submission. "It is predicted that he will enter the slums of Shamayim at any moment. I await my orders."

Instead of answering him, Rociel asked slowly, "Would you.." He paused. "Die for me?'

"Yes," the servant answered promptly. If he was surprised at the sudden question, there was no reaction to hint it.

"Do you follow me unconditionally, my command over your own?"

"Yes. No other's words are higher than Rociel-sama's."

"Good." 

_Like a good puppet; like all the others. You are perfect; and that is what makes you lacking. Is that why.. "He" is different?_

"Continue to follow him and report back to me."

"Hai," The servant hurried on his way, eager to please.

Meanwhile, a predatory gleam had entered Rociel's eyes. _I gave you a chance Katan; the reins are not yours to hold this time. I will partake in this chase, but know that even the fastest birds can have their wings easily clipped. You will be mine once more..._

***

Forever alone. _You wicked angel, you've done it again. _Teiaiel looked down at her small hands, covered in blood. Some of the liquid had dried, but most of it remained moist. The aftertaste of flesh still lingered unpleasantly in her mouth, fresh and raw. Yet she could not stop doing the unforgivable deed, she never could. In the slums, the dead bodies of angels were always so abundant. They beckoned to her with their silent voices, telling her to consume them so that she may live. So she did, and everyone hated her for it. They called her an angel eater, the cute child that had her innocence stolen by the devil. Adults looked at her in disgust and the I-Children pelted her with insults and violence, to them she was no different than a cockroach to grind to the floor. But what else could she do? The dead offered themselves all too willingly.

Teiaiel whispered some soft comforting words to the half-eaten head that sat next to her. "Honto ni gomen nasai. Demo ne the insects would come to you sooner or later, and the big ones eat really messily." 

The man's own knife had been used in his decapitation. He appeared to have been a common thug looking for food, stumbling onto the wrong place at the wrong time. The inspector patrols were not forgiving. His last thoughts were so strong they had been permanently marked into his brain. She could feel his lingering feelings as easily as she could read the hearts of others. They were the thoughts of many who dwelled in the lowest level of heaven; the yearning to die but the struggle to live.

A shadow fell upon her small form. Teiaiel moved slightly, instinctively lifting an arm to protect her face. She narrowly escaped the swing of a glass bottle. It was flung to the ground, the impact shattering it to pieces. A young female angel stood above her, bearing a deep scowl on her youthful face. Fists clenched, a single wing was unfurled from her back, a unnatural mutation that indicated her blood as an I-Child. She bore the simple garments of a white short-sleeved shirt flecked with dirt, and faded blue trousers.

  
"You!" She pointed a finger at Teiaiel accusingly, her glare intensifying. "It is your fault! The other kids and I are working so hard to live, and you're here calling the attention of the inspectors down upon our heads." The girl's eyes flickered over the corpse briefly. "Can you not let the dead lie as they are meant to lie?"

Teiaiel gazed up at her sadly. "The dead don't want to lie in this scary place. They don't want the bugs to get them. They want to go to heaven." 

The girl slapped her across the face, leaving a tender red mark. "Don't you even dare talk about 'heaven' with that dirty mouth of yours!" she hissed. Sweeping an arm around the surroundings for emphasis, she said bitterly, "This is heaven. We are _in_ heaven already."

"This is not heaven," Teiaiel stated simply, rubbing at her cheek. "There is no God here, I have not seen him. He is somewhere else, and that somewhere is where heaven is."

The I-Child looked as though she was going to strike Teiaiel again, but a gloved hand held her back at the wrist. "That is enough," someone spoke from behind her. The girl whirled around coming face to face with a tall man, his face hidden by the loose folds of a hooded cloak. 

She tried to worm her hand from his grip but found that it was too strong. "Who are you?" she bit out. The question seemed to catch him off guard momentarily, so she took advantage of that second to yank her hand free.

"I am Cre..on," Katan said. The syllables were unfamiliar to him, but the girl was so caught up in her own anger that she did not notice Katan's poor pronunciation of his own name. "This child is the same as you, poor and rejected by society. Why can you not accept her?"

"She's nothing like me, she's a fallen one!"

"And you are an I-Child, by the red of your eyes and the absence of a wing," Katan said matter-of-factly.

The girl was at a loss for words, she was not pleased by his assessment. Being reminded of her less than honourable status was the thing that she hated most in the world. The angel's cheeks were flushed, quick anger a sure sign of her youth. It seemed that she would stomp her foot at any moment. _I was not like that back in those days, was I?_ Katan thought.

Then she did something that was very unexpected. She stuck out her tongue at him, making a face that was a deathly glare but to Katan it looked almost comical. _No, definitely not_, he concluded.

"I have better things to do, than to argue with a fallen one and a stranger," she retorted. "The others are waiting for me. I am Shateiel, if you are ever lost in the slums I can help you. But not if you intend to stay with.. Her." The I-Child turned her back on Katan, moving away with quick deft steps. She soon disappeared around the bend of a battered building. 

Teiaiel had stayed quiet throughout the exchange, seemingly forgotten. Katan turned to her now, taking off his hood. He smiled gently at her, the first nice smile that Teiaiel had seen in years. "Forgive me for intruding," he immediately apologized. "What is your name?"

"Teiaiel," she answered, looking up at him with her large, unblinking eyes. "Onii-chan."


	4. Aka no Heya ~ The Red Room

S p l i c e d  
_Chapter IV [Aka no Heya ~ The Red Room]_

Katan and Teiaiel walked through the Shamayim slums quietly, sidestepping bits of rubble, garbage, and bodies on the street. The corpses of rats and other unsavoury things were unceremoniously strewn across the pavement. However, not all the bodies that lazed on the streets were corpses. Some were still alive, beings that had once been angels were wasting away the last degrading moments of their life. The smell of rotting flesh and lingering traces of smoke did little to help the atmosphere. Katan had rarely been to the slums, there was nothing that attracted him there. 

"Where are we going?" Katan asked his young companion.

"To find God," she answered, as if it were the most obvious question in the world. 

"Can you not simply believe and hold in the faith that he exists?"

"No," she Teiaiel said curtly. She looked up at him. "I know he exists, but I want to find the true paradise, I want to find the heaven that the children of Assiah hear of. A haven free from hate. A God that is all loving, benevolent, wise, forgiving. He would cleanse us and let our sins be washed away."

"What if he does not want to see us?"

She frowned, as if the notion he suggested was impossible. "Have you ever met God, onii-chan?"

"No," he admitted, "Of course I have never looked upon Him and spoke with Him. But-"

"Then you can't give up hope," she interrupted. "Come onii-chan, we will find him together."

What possessed Katan to take the small, fragile hand he did not know but before he knew it, he was following Teiaiel closely like an overprotective guardian. It struck him that he was letting himself be lead by a _child_. Not an ordinary child, but still one nonetheless. Katan was in doubt that Teiaiel would ever find the celestial being that she sought. Even if they did, what were the chances of Him giving audience to two outcasts? One that had tasted the very flesh of angels, and the Cherubim that had run away from Atziluth. But Katan did not have the heart to say anything more. 

Walking with Teiaiel, Katan could not help but notice how deeply he contrasted with his young companion. Teiaiel's small dress looked weathered, the edges were frayed and many patches had been added to cover old tears. When she walked, he could see the worn soles of her tiny shoes. It made his simple clothes seem the stuff made for kings. 

Teiaiel pointed at the grey, dismal space that made up the sky. "Up there is where we must go, because He lives above everything."

"I have been there before," Katan said carefully. _Atziluth_. He did not want to upset her. "I do not think I have seen Him there."

"Then," she said determinedly. "We must go even above that level."

Katan wanted to blurt out that there was nothing higher than Atziluth, nothing higher than Rociel. It was an instinctive habit, immediate praise for the one he had served. Katan held his tongue. Instead, he pointed out, "The transporters will be difficult to gain access to."

"We will find a way."

***

Night came, the darkness invading the sky like an unfathomable shadow. It was time to find shelter. Katan could easily dispatch or avoid any that would disturb them; but it was made difficult when he had a young charge to take care of. Closer to the heart of the city, there was more activity and hustling than the near-deserted area they had been in before. However, the streets themselves were in no better condition. One would not be able to guess based upon appearances that Shamayim was a step closer to Atziluth than Assiah.

It would only take an hour or two from where they were now to reach the transporters. Katan knew, because it was the same transporters he had used to get in Shamayim. Surrounded by guards, the only reason he had been able to leave at all was because Rociel had let him. He had been concerned by the easy escape, but had just decided to grab the opportunity.

The inn Teiaiel chose to enter was smaller than the other ones situated on the street, but the interior seemed to give a more homely appearance than the others. In contrast to the streets, the inside of the inn was quite clean. There were drunkards at the small bar, but they did not possess the look of murderers and thieves. They were lowly beings charged by the duty of surviving. None turned to look at Katan and Teiaiel as they entered.

Up at the front desk, the innkeeper was busy scratching something into her appointment book with a stubborn pen. A wizened old woman, she still looked quite capable of kicking out any troublemakers. Her defined cheekbones looked even more chiselled against her taut face, and a length of white hair was tied back in the form of a neat bun.

As the pair approached the desk, she looked up silently. Looking them over, her gaze lingered a moment more on Katan. 

"A room for the night please," Katan tossed a pouch of money onto the tabletop, which landed with a clunk from its weight.

The innkeeper pocketed it without even looking inside, and headed towards the stairs without another word. She paused for a moment, motioning for them to follow. They complied. 

The room they were presented with was small, but well kept. Two single beds rested by the window, and the flower-patterned curtains were of white lace. A table was placed in the centre of the room, with two accompanying chairs. There was a gentle feeling in the room that contrasted with the rest of Shamayim.

The innkeeper gave him a copper key. "Thank you, ma'am," Katan said politely.

"None of that madam stuff," she grunted. "I dislike formality. Call me Barbara."

He blinked. "Thank you, Barbara."

She gestured below, as if they could see through it to see what was underneath. "Directly below you is the kitchen. If your hungry, just give the chef a holler. He gets off after ten so if you need a midnight bite, raid the fridge yourself. Dinner is served at eight, and breakfast at nine. Got it?"

He nodded.

Barbara then turned to Teiaiel, and gave her a small pat on the head. "'Tis good to see you again, girl. Still looking for Him?" Teiaiel nodded in the affirmative, she was quiet but her eyes held a twinkle of excitement. Barbara smiled warmly at her.

"Her parents and I were old friends," she explained to him. "Whenever she comes by I give her bed to sleep in, and a warm meal."

"That is very kind of you," Katan said earnestly.

Barbara shrugged. "A moment of peace and safety is all I can afford to give. Its nothing." 

Katan was about to tell her otherwise, but she had already turned her back on him. Reaching forward, she gently pushed Teiaiel in the direction of the beds. "Off to sleep with you, I wager you've been up all day running around. Dinner won't be for another two hours."

Teiaiel nodded obediently. She sat on the edge of the bed, taking off her shoes and then placing them neatly on the floor. Stifling a yawn, she slipped underneath the covers and closed her eyes. 

Feeling a tap on his arm, Katan was surprised to see Barbara taking his arm and then tugging him out the door; with more strength than what someone her age ought to have. Halfway down the stairs, she turned and said to him in a low voice, "This is your last chance."

"For what?" Katan asked, puzzled.

"If yer going to abandon her, then do it now. 'Tis no good waiting until later," she said, her voice suddenly a bit harsh. 

  
"I am not planning to abandon her," Katan answered immediately.   
  
Barbara chortled with laughter, barely suppressing the sound with her bony hands. "I could almost believe you. But you will, just as they always have."

Suddenly her face turned serious, and she said gravely, "She is an angel eater, my boy. If she doesn't do you in, then the inspectors that are after her will. Do not forget, the line between friend and foe is very thin here."

"I understand."

"Ech. Well, it's none of my business." Barbara fished a pouch from her pockets and tossed it at Katan, who caught it easily. "I don't want your money. Just make sure you take good care of the poor lass." She gave him a long studying look, as if she was wondering if she had done the right thing by trusting him. Decision made, she departed down the stairs. Taking it as his cue to go back to his room, Katan ascended back up and slipped in the room silently so he would not wake Teiaiel. 

Teiaiel had already drifted off to sleep, an innocent and peaceful expression settled upon her delicate features. Katan idly wondered how long it had been since she had slept in a warm bed. 

_Poor child. She's never known love, has she?_

_***_  
  
  


Dinner that night was brought up to their room by a young maid, miraculously balancing two trays loaded with food. Katan tried to give her a tip in exchange for her trouble but she had refused, insisting that she had been paid already. The young maid blushed a little when Katan had smiled his thanks. She quickly hurried out the door after placing the trays on the table. 

Debating whether or not to wake up Teiaiel, Katan decided to just let her sleep longer. She would eat when she wanted to. He made sure that her food was covered properly so it would stay warm, then he sat down to eat his own food. Katan picked up a piece of garlic bread, and ate it slowly. It was soft and chewy, fresh from the oven. The tomato soup was nothing special, it seemed very much watered down. He drank it without really tasting it. The main course was a type of fish that had been simmered in marmalade and was served with tomatoes on the side. Beside that dish was a bowl of steamed rice, sprinkled lightly with sesame and mixed with bits of scrambled egg and ham. The dinner was of course, not anywhere near even the calibre of afternoon refreshments at the palace, but he was not picky. 

When he was done, Katan wiped his mouth on a napkin and set aside the dishes. The washroom was more cramped then what Katan was used to, but he did not complain. After cleaning himself up, he walked back into the room. Teiaiel was sitting by the table, picking at her food mutely. Apparently she had woken up while he was still in the washroom. Katan went to his own bed and sat down, shrugging off his shoes. He lied down and pulled the covers over himself. He closed his eyes, when Teiaiel suddenly spoke up. "Onii-chan…Aren't you afraid that I'll eat you in your sleep?"

"You won't."

Ordinarily it would have been a ridiculous question, however Katan was quite aware that Teiaiel was not ordinary.

Teiaiel tilted her head questioningly. "How do you know?"

"You are seeking God to repent your sins," Katan answered easily, opening his eyes to look at her. "You would not be seeking him if you did not truly want to atone."

He was rewarded with a rare smile. "Your right," she said. No one understood her like he did. Teiaiel resumed picking at her food. "Oyasuminasai, onii-chan."

"Oyasumi."

***

_A dream is a mirror of reality, pieces of the truth that are fragments of the whole truth. Dreams are the reflections of emotions, the constant stream of thoughts that ferry through the brain. It is the liquid mercury that seeps between the cracks of one's consciousness. The Devourer of Devourers, it engulfs the tortured mind, licking deliciously at the deeply lodged secrets. It shows things that were, that will never be, the futures that can be, and the futures that will be._

_ "Rociel-sama."_

_ Rociel turned around slowly. Held by the throes of melancholy, he did not sense the other's presence until he had spoken. No servant of his had ever disturbed him at night. _

_ "Katan?"_

_ The Cherubim stepped onto the balcony, moving out into the moonlight._

_ "Hai."_

_ "You surprised me. I didn't know you were there." There was an uncharacteristic absence of emotion in his words that worried Katan._

_ Katan knelt and bowed his head. _

_ "It was rude of me to invade. Please accept my apologies. It is just that I feel lately you have.. Not been your self. The others, they are beginning to speculate.. They say things like, 'Why does the Inorganic twin brood? Why does he look at us with sudden disdain?' They are lies generated by enemies jealous of your power, but I do feel the sadness that has taken you. You.. Mourn. "_

_ Rociel cuffed Katan sharply across the cheek, forcing Katan's head to snap in the other direction. _

_ "Leave me alone!" Rociel roared. He wrapped his hand around Katan's neck tightly, his nails digging unmercifully into Katan's neck. "Don't meddle into affairs of mine which you know nothing of!"_

_ Katan did not struggle, because that always made it worse. He did not complain, he did not touch the tender, burning skin of his cheek. Katan lowered his head further in submission, the ends of his hair bushing the marble ground. _

_ There was a brief moment of respite, as neither of them spoke. Katan would wait, just as he always did. The soft wind tickled his skin, as if to reassure him._

_ "Can you.. Smell them?" Rociel asked quietly, his gaze fixed on a point beyond Katan. "The carnations, they are at their peak today."_

_ "Hai."_

_ "What do you think of them?"  
  
"They are beautiful, their splendour only surpassed by you."_

_ Rociel's long, slender fingers caressed Katan's cheek gently. The same hand that had brought him pain a moment ago, now gave him peace. Rociel's soft, pink lips pressed lightly against the nape of his neck. Delicate arms pulled him in firmly, and his right ear was nibbled playfully. After a moment, a wet tongue replaced it, flicking back and forth._

_ A silky voice slid over him. "You are.. Forgiven."_

_ [Now.. Come back to me.]_

Katan awoke to the sound of screaming coming from outside the room. Shaking off the covers, he stumbled to the light switch and turned it on. First, he noticed that Teiaiel was absent from the room. Secondly, the screaming had suddenly stopped, it had been cut off. Alarmed, he threw his shoes on hastily and ran out of his room, descending the stairs in a hurry.

His mounting dread threatened to overcome him, and it almost did when he saw the state of the main room. The walls were splattered in red blood, excess dripping onto the floor in crimson puddles. 

There was no movement, not a soul stirred. There were bodies, and more bodies. The dead were hung mockingly on coat hangers by their own coats. Mouths gaping, hanging open in their last expression of agony. Others were on the floor in pieces, smeared into the boards like jam. 

The air itself was penetrated with the smell of blood and the innards of the deceased. He tried to calm the panic. Nauseous, he covered his nose with his sleeve, and froze. He smelled…

_Carnations._

_Notes:_

_Oyasuminasai/oyasumi: Good night_

_Carnations, in hanakotoba, means "passion"_


	5. Eien

S p l i c e d

Chapter V [Eien]

            Katan staggered around the room, almost like a madman. The Cherubim was searching for any trace of Teiaiel, or even Barbara. He was somewhat relieved when he did not see Teiaiel's small form in the main room, but that did not mean she was safe. Katan heard the sound of glass shattering on the ground, the sudden noise startling him. Cautiously, he advanced towards the sound. It was coming from behind the bar.  Katan already had a sense of what he was going to see, and he did not want to see it. Truly moving against his will, he brought himself to the source of the sound. 

            Barbara lay on the cold ground, her body completely broken. Her limbs had been snapped in turned in such a way that they were not meant to be, twisted at odd angles. Katan winced at the sight, stooping down to meet Barbara's gaze. There was pain and confusion, but the most prominent look in her eyes seemed to be the one that was asking him, _Why? Why am I bleeding now, why am I at death's door now? _

            Katan hung his head.  "I'm sorry. We should not have stayed. I'm sorry." The words he spoke seemed dull even to his ears. His feelings were genuine, but his words did not seem to be able to reflect it. They seemed too inadequate. There was a flicker of understanding in Barbara's expression, but the look of sadness seemed to deepen even more. 

            Barbara was certain she could not hold on for much longer. She knew she would never see Teiaiel, nor the man that she had been waiting for all this time. 

            Decades ago, Barbara had made a promise on Earth to a man. Against the rules of heaven, she had fallen in love with a mere mortal. They were even to be wed. However, Barbara was called back, to continue her duties for Atziluth in heaven. As punishment for her sin, she would age just as any regular woman would. She would grow old and die.

            Nonetheless, the two made a promise; he would one day come to heaven and find her. She would wait for him, for surely he would come. They would then be together forever, two inseparable souls. But he had never come. She opened a bar, in hopes to hear any news of this man through the ones that frequented the area, but she never did.  

            "Is there anything I can do?" Katan pleaded her. "Any deed, any last favour I will do my best to accomplish." 

_            Anything to lighten this heavy weight._

            "Nothing, there is nothing you can do," she said, her voice ringing with a tone of finality. Katan began to protest, but Barbara did not seem to hear him. The light in her eyes was dimming rapidly. Barbara must be seeing her life flash before her eyes, the last moment of insight that came to one's consciousness before death.  When the fires died out, he passed his hand gently over her eyes to close them. It was his fault. Rociel had not come for the tavern's denizens, nor Teiaiel. He had come for _him. Teiaiel was the bait, and if Katan wanted her to live, he would have to spear himself onto the fishing hook. _

_          Fool! Everything, everyone I touch becomes unsafe. I should have known better.  I should have known better. I should have.._

             The tavern had gone cold; as if it was a moment frozen in time. The only sound being made was the _splish splash noises of dripping blood. _

             "What have you _done?." Katan curled his hands into fists, as they began to shake. "Why? __Tell me."_

            There was a breath of hot air against his neck, as a voice all too familiar answered him. "You belong to me, little one. That's the only reason I need. That's the only reason you need."

            Katan snapped. He whirled around, bringing his fist upwards in a swing of rage. Desperation bit him. Anger clawed at his mind, at his shaken soul.   

            Rociel caught it easily with his right hand, his slim body more powerful than it looked. 

            "My dear Cherubim, is that how you greet a friend?" His expression was merry, as if greeting an old companion that he had not seen for a long period of time.

            "_Friend," Katan said bitterly. "You don't kill a friend's loved ones."_

          Rociel's smile didn't falter, but his grip tightened around Katan's hand significantly.  The knuckles of Katan's hand gave way with a _pop. The cherubim grunted in pain, and brought his other fist to bear. Rociel was faster. He moved in; a predator grabbing its prey. One hand held Katan's fist captive, while the other began to trace Katan's lips lightly. _

            "I did leave that slums girl alive," Rociel conceded, as if confessing something he shouldn't have.  Katan glared. He hated Rociel's nonchalant manner, how he talked about lives as if they were no more than sacrificial pawns. 

            "Ah, but they were sacrificial pawns," Rociel said delightedly. He withdrew his hands and clapped them together, letting out a little chuckle.  "You've been my goal all along."

            "Why?" Katan choked out. His fingers curled and uncurled. "I am nothing, a past servant. A lost cause.  Why can you not let me be alone?" He turned his back on Rociel. His guilt haunted him closely.  He couldn't save Barbara, couldn't save the others that had died. In fact, he _himself was the reason for their deaths._

            Rociel's hand buried itself in Katan's hair and yanked, forcing him to stumble until he turned around again. "Come back with me," he commanded, his voice low.  "There is nothing left for you here, my disobedient cherubim."

            "Where is Teiaiel?" Katan demanded, shaking himself free.  If Rociel would ignore his questions, then he would ignore his commands. 

            Rociel's look hardened. "What does it matter? You should not befriend fallen ones."  
  
            A little to his own surprise, Katan shot back, "There are a lot of things one should not befriend."

           In a white flash, Katan felt more, rather than saw a blast that exploded against his abdomen. The impact made him fall backwards onto his back, his body skidding a little from the slippery blood and alcohol-slicked floor.

           The light and blast had left Katan somewhat disoriented. He shook his head, trying to clear it.  However, when it did clear and his vision settled to normal, he found Rociel hovering over him. 

           "I killed her," Rociel hissed spitefully. "I tore that tiny heart from her chest, still plump and ripe with blood. I cut open her small skull, and let her exposed brain wither and burn in the ovens."

           Katan listened motionlessly, stunned. His jaw quivered slightly, but no came. Rociel smirked, satisfied by his reaction.

_           You are mine, only mine._

           "You can still say your good byes, you know," Rociel told him offhandedly, as if it was a detail to be dismissed. "When an angel eater is killed, their spirits remain anchored to the material world a little longer, due to the taint that is developed as a consequence from all the angel flesh they have devoured. If you listen, you may hear her words to you. "

          "I can not stomach lies," Katan bit out.   
  
           "I tell less lies then you think," Rociel responded. 

           He was tired of the endless guessing games, but he found himself indulging in Rociel once more, giving him the benefit of the doubt. He closed his eyes and concentrated, allowing his thoughts to float within the expanse of the room. True to Rociel's word, Katan began to hear quiet whispers that he could just barely discern. He focused his thoughts towards the direction by which he estimated they were coming from.

_Onii-chan_

_Onii-chan_

_     Teiaiel?_

_Its__ all right. I understand. I knew.. That you would choose Him. There was always someone you whispered to, talked to in your dreams. Your heart was always filled with images of him.  _

_     No! I'm sorry. I failed in my duty to protect you.  
  
When you didn't come.. We all cried and screamed, but you never came. You slept on, your ears closed to our pleas for help._

_     I'm sorry, I'm sorry. Its my fault. All my fault.  I wanted to come, I didn't know, I didn't know-_

_I am going to find the true heaven, I can see it now… Somewhere far away from here. This is not heaven, this was hell. Farewell, onii-chan._

_    Teiaiel! Wait!_

      There was no answer; and there would never be another. Katan suppressed his tears, his fingernails digging into his palms. Teiaiel had been a precious friend, he did not think of her as a mere child angel. They had enjoyed their company together, she had been the light that had entered his life and lit the waning candle. Katan could feel a part of him missing, more of his naivety and innocence nibbled away. Katan's gloved hand began to twitch uncontrollably, the wires having a life of their own. It was as if his right hand was made from a nest of wriggling worms. 

      So this was his journey's end.  Katan had run away from Atziluth, and now he was back where he started.  Things had come around in a full circle. Katan thought he had cut his leash, but only now did he realize that it was still present; pulling at him deeply. Katan shuddered. Hindsight had just showed him something he should have known all along. He would never be free. As long as he remained who he was, Rociel would always exist in him.

     The futility of it all bore down on the cherubim. Katan wanted to blame Rociel. Blame him for all time, hate him for all the lives he had taken. But would that not be denying himself? Rociel was his creator, his master, his… 

       Rociel kneeled over him. The Inorganic angel took his right hand in his. He turned it over, inspecting it.  Katan did not have the energy nor the will to push him away. He was exhausted, all he desired now was peace. Rociel peeled off the glove to reveal the incomplete form of his hand. The wires that lived in his palms and fingers thrashed violently; Katan winced a little in pain. 

      Soft lips enveloped his fingertips; Rociel began suckling them slowly, running his tongue over the flesh.  Confused, Katan looked up only to see Rociel's eyes closed in concentration. The aching in his hand vanished, Rociel's tongue was like an elixir. _But no medicine is this intoxicating. _

The wires bent, retreating back into his hand. New skin formed and spread until the wires were completely out of sight.  Rociel let the hand slip from his mouth, falling to Katan's side.  It was good as new, the new skin a little pink, and the hand slightly wet. 

        Rociel smiled. _I always mend my broken toys._

            Rociel lowered himself so that his body was pressing against his. Katan said nothing, allowing the contact.  Rociel showered Katan kisses on his forehead, similar to the ones he had received from him as a boy. However, this time the kisses were longer, the lips lingering on Katan's skin.  It was different, as if marking something new. 

          The Inorganic angel rose, bringing Katan up with him.  He wrapped his arms around him, and buried his face in Katan's chest. 

          "I want you to never leave my side again, Katan," Rociel spoke breathily.

          "Rociel-sama…"

           Katan could smell the scent of carnations in Rociel's hair. It was sweet, overpowering the rancid stink of blood and gore in the room. Rociel's wings burst forth, three wings rising from his back in a sweeping motion. The feathers were as white as snow, a few brushed against Katan's cheek.  The cherubim felt an itching sensation along his own back; he stiffened uncomfortably. 

           "Relax," Rociel instructed. Katan complied, allowing the feeling to take hold and spread.

            Slowly, Katan's own wings unfolded from the confines of his flesh. It hurt at first, as he had not stretched his wings for a long time.  Rociel left his embrace for a moment. Moving behind Katan, he nipped at one of Katan's wings, as if to test it. Katan shivered; the wings of an angel was where they were the most sensitive. The worst torture and sentence an angel in heaven could ever receive was to have their wings clipped. 

            Rociel came in front of him again, and threw his arms over Katan's shoulders.  Their wings overlapped, feather brushing against feather delicately. Katan trembled a little, not accustomed to the feelings that assaulted his senses. It was almost overpowering. 

           "You will return?"

            To where else would he go? To where else would he belong?

            "Hai."  
  
            "Katan, tell me.. Am I beautiful?"  
  
            "Hai. Rociel-sama is forever beautiful."

_             I've shattered your heart, Katan. But we'll splice it together again._

  
_I've seen your smile_

_Those perfect teeth, luscious mouth.  
Your love has skewered my body;.  
Give me a little peace, and I'll give you a rose to love._

_Give me a little kiss, and I'll give you a heart to embrace._

_You'll never fall away;_

_I'll always be here to catch you,_

_To take you in my arms._

_For yesterday, for today, for eternity._

_Owari  
  
  
  
Notes: Thank you for reading for the very end~ And thank you to all that have given feedback~  _


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